Bob is introduced to Charlie for the first time. Charlie extends his hand for a handshake, but Bob flatly refuses the offer.

Can be done in a variety of situations for a variety of reasons. Bob may be an Ineffectual Loner or Anti-Hero who is merely displaying his Badass demeanor or desire to work alone. Charlie may be some sort of villain or corrupt figure, and Bob is merely expressing his distrust or disrespect towards Charlie by refusing his handshake. Or Bob might be a foreigner from a place where body contact is taboo (or, in sci-fi works, an alien who doesn't get the concept of a handshake).

A comedy version of this trope has Bob refusing the handshake for a humorous reason, such as Charlie having just sneezed into his hand.

Examples

open/close all folders

Anime and Manga

Inverted in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: when future rivals Heero and Zechs meet face-to-face for the first time, Zechs offers his hand. After a pause, Heero accepts the gesture while remarking that he's never shaken hands with anybody before. This could be because Zechs has shown himself to be very honest and honorable, especially for a member of OZ.

Subverted in Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny, where at the very end Shinn is introduced to Kira, whom he has spent a fair amount of the plot trying very hard to kill. Kira offers his hand, but Shinn is reluctant to accept, prompting Kira to say "I guess not, huh?" But Shinn eventually does take the hand, while crying over the fact that he's being forgiven so easily for what he's done.

Subverted in Code Geass: upon her introduction, Rakshata Chawla radiates a rather arrogant Insufferable Genius aura and, when Zero offers her a handshake, it looks like she will refuse it for a moment. She decides to accept, however, in a symbolic move of acknowledging a fellow genius in the rebel leader. It is later shown that Rakshata is not actually that arrogant or smug, but she certainly acted the part when joining the rebellion.

Played logically and slightly humorously in Angel Densetsu when Ikuno's father, a martial artist hired in a teacher's role to discipline/expel the good-natured but thug-faced Kitano offers a handshake in the men's bathroom (intending to actually start his attack once he has a grip on the student's hand, and choosing the bathroom for being semi-private), but Kitano rejects it because he just used the urinal and it would be gross/inappropriate to shake hands without at least washing their hands and drying it off.

One Dilbert etiquette book has Dogbert explain that this is the "right" way to respond if someone tries to shake your hand after you sneeze into it. The "wrong" way is to shake anyway and let them know afterwards, and the "playful" way is to shake and claim that the moisture is because you just washed your hand.

In All-Star Superman, Superman offers a handshake to the Kryptonians Bar-El and Lilo, who ignore it and start lecturing him on falling in with the primitive humans instead of taking over.

Irredeemable: Qubit does this on his first meeting with the Plutonian, but apologizes and explains that he gets a "burning feeling" from human contact.

Films — Animated

Jim Hawkins does this to Long John Silver in Treasure Planet. At first, it's because he's a cyborg and happens to be offering a collection of knives instead of his hand in hand mode. Then it's just a sign of distrust.

In Toy Story 3, Woody refused to shake hands with Buzz as he was leaving Sunnyside.

Films — Live-Action

In the 1998 film Godzilla, Matthew Broderick refuses to shake a nerdy scientist's hand after he just sneezed into it.

Liar Liar: Averted at first, and then played straight. When Mr. Allan offers to make Fletcher partner at his law firm, a stunned Fletcher shakes his hand for a second, but then has a Heel Realization and jerks his hand back.

In the film Mr. Brooks, Kevin Costner's character does this to Dane Cook's character.

In Blue Streak, Martin Lawrence's character, while posing as a cop, is introduced to a high ranking police officer who extends his hand to shake. He had previously spied the man applying lotion to his private parts, so instead hugs him.

Seem to recall this happening to Daniel Jackson in Stargate the movie, kinda a mixture of comedy of Jackson sneezing in his hand and contempt for him being in a military base in the first place.

In Tombstone, Doc Holliday refuses to shake the hand of the corrupt fop of a sheriff who is in league with the cowboy gangs.

Though this is because he's a Lawman, and has nothing to do with his corrupt foppery.

Mycroft Holmes in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows refuses to shake hands with Dr Watson the first time they meet, possibly because he's a Neat Freak and has issues with personal hygiene. Fully used to his brother's eccentricities, Watson isn't insulted.

In The Spy Who Loved Me, Bond is told before meeting Stromberg that he's germophobic and won't shake hands. Bond holds out his hand to Stromberg anyway and is predictably rebuffed.

Django Unchained. Just when everything seems to be wrapped up, bloodlessly if not ideally, Schultz's inability to bring himself to shake Candie's hand ruins everything. Candie claims their signed contract will be effectively null and void without one, but more likely he just wants to antagonize him. Schultz shoots him instead.

In Bicentennial Man, the first indication that Andrew's manufacturer sees him as a machine and nothing more is that he refuses to shake Andrew's hand when offered.

Duck Soup: Rufus T. Firefly imagines Ambassador Tretino won't shake his hand, and builds up resentment towards him so much that as soon as Tretino enters Firefly Glove Slaps him for the refusal which hadn't actually happened.

I'd be only too happy to meet with Ambassador Trentino, and offer him on behalf of my country the right hand of good fellowship. And I feel sure he will accept this gesture in the spirit of which it is offered. But suppose he doesn't. A fine thing that'll be. I hold out my hand and he refuses to accept. That'll add a lot to my prestige, won't it? Me, the head of a country, snubbed by a foreign ambassador. Who does he think he is, that he can come here, and make a sap of me in front of all my people? Think of it - I hold out my hand and that hyena refuses to accept. Why, the cheap four-flushing swine, he'll never get away with it I tell you, he'll never get away with it. Trentino enters So, you refuse to shake hands with me, eh?

In Avatar, Jake offers his hand to Grace who rudely rebuffs him. Later, he offers his hand to Neytiri's father, but her people are unfamiliar with the gesture and the guards point their weapons at Jake in response.

Literature

In Robert Asprin's Another Fine Myth, Aahz offers to take protagonist Skeeve on as his apprentice, since Skeeve's teacher has just been murdered. Pleased, Skeeve offers his hand to seal the deal...and Aahz refuses, because he doesn't shake hands with apprentices. Skeeve wonders if he should have thought this arrangement through a little more.

Much later, while searching for a missing Aahz in his home dimension, Skeeve flinches at shaking hands with an apprentice. When he explains where he picked up the habit, Aahz's old magic teacher remembers him ("It was one of his less objectionable traits") and is able to help Skeeve look for him.

Animorphs: at the end of the episode where Tom and Jake are taken to the country for their grandfather's funeral longer than the Yeerk can survive, the Animorphs save the day by breaking Tom's leg so he gets sent back into town. Marco, who came up with the idea, offers his hand to Jake as a sign of all being forgiven (Jake had been dealing with the possibility that his brother might be finally freed), but Jake just lets it sit there.

I thought the commander would offer me his hand, to seal our agreement. He did nothing of the sort. I regretted that.

In Settling Accounts: In at the Death, the last book of the Timeline-191 series, Irving Morrell refuses to shake the hand of the surrenderingCSA president. He has explicit orders not to shake the man's hand.

In the Sherlock Holmes story "A Scandal in Bohemia", Holmes disregards the King of Bohemia's offered hand, deeming the latter's conduct in the case to have been dishonorable.

In the fifth book of The Dresden Files, "Death Masks", Martin does this to Harry in his first appearance.

Martin: I don't shake hands.

In the X-Wing Series novel Iron Fist, Wraith agent Shalla Nelprin is introduced in disguise to Captain Netbers, the villain's hand-to-hand expert (who she has been told is going to "evaluate her skills"). Rather than shake his hand, she instantly attacks him — because she could see from his stance that he intended to use the handshake to grab and throw her. (He admits later that she was absolutely correct.)

Live-Action TV

Sub-commander T'pol does this to Trip Tucker in the pilot episode of Star Trek: Enterprise. Justified in that T'pol is a Vulcan, Vulcans being touch telepathic aliens who don't like touching members of their own species, let alone emotional humans. It pretty obviously doubled as a snub, however.

In season five of 24, Jack Bauer reacts this way to his ex-wife's new boyfriend.

Monk is a germophobe and refuses to shake hands with just about anyone. If he's forced to, he will immediately turn to his assistant for a wipe.

In one episode he voluntarily shook hands as a sign of friendship with an ex-colleague of his, who was accused (even by Monk) of being in the drug-business (which he wasn't, which was proven of course.)

In another episode he shook hands with a succession of people, after the last one he immediately turned to his assistant for a wipe. The problem being, the last handshakee was black, leading to much accusations of racism.

In a Seinfeld episode, Elaine's boss has a cold. Having left his handkerchief in Elaine's office, he sneezes into his hand and is unable to shake the hand of a Japanese businessman when he sneezes, explaining that he can't because of the germs. The Japanese men assume he is implying that they might be diseased and cancel their business dealings.

The Mayor from Buffy the Vampire Slayer is portrayed as a neat-freak, and refuses to shake anyone's hand. When Giles is replaced as Watcher by Wesley, Buffy refuses to shake his hand and pointedly sits down next to Giles.

Victor Kennedy in the Doctor Who episode "Love and Monsters", allegedly because of his "eczeema"; it turns out he's an "absorbaloff" (or at least, likes the title) and bodily absorbs anyone he touches.

Additionally, near the end of the second series, the Doctor is distracted by the presence of the Void Ship and fails to shake hands with the technician when offered.

Vince MacMahon on at least one occasion said "I don't shake hands with lawyers" on WWE.

House is not fond of physical contact and often will refuse handshakes, regardless of who they're from.

There was an episode of M*A*S*H whose B-plot involved Winchester's dental woes coupled with his fear of dentists. In the end of the episode, Winchester is about to shake the hand of the man who Hawkeye and BJ brought on to handle the episode's A-plot only for them to reveal he's a dentist; Winchester immediately retracts his hand. To be fair, this was more due to his fear of dentists than any attempt at being insulting.

In the original Ellen Degeneres sitcom Ellen, one episode involved the filming of a talkshow, which ended with the host shaking hands with the guests - onc the cameras and music stopped, so did he.

In a very very old episode of Baywatch a returning lifeguard refuses Mitch (David Hasselhoff's) handshake. However rather than being rude it's the first clue that an eye-disease is destroying his periphial vision.

In the Babylon 5 episode "Passing Through Gethsemane", Sheridan hesitates to shake the hand of a recent murderer who had since been "mindwiped" (had his personality and memories removed and replaced as punishment for the capital crime) and joined Brother Theo's monastic order, until Brother Theo reminds him of the value of forgiveness.

In an episode of Frasier, the artist Frasier invites over always wears a smock so she doesn't have to shake hands.

This was done in an episode of Coach set in a sperm bank. Hayden Fox ran into one of his fans coming out of one of the private rooms, who promptly recognized him and held out his hand for a shake.

On NCIS, Agent Nikki Jardine was temporarily assigned to Gibbs' team, but didn't shake hands with anyone. As with Monk (mentioned above), she's a germophobe.

In Stargate Atlantis, Todd the Wraith offered a handshake... with the feeding hand his people use to drain the lifeforce from humans. Every Marine drew a gun on him. Todd thought it was funny as hell.

On The West Wing President Bartlet refused to shake the hand of a foreign minister that he recently learned was a terrorist (and who he was planning to have assassinated). He told the translator to say he had a rash to keep the minister from suspecting anything wrong.

Newspaper Comics

Dogbert's Rules of Etiquette has a page on how to handle handshakes. Dilbert denying a handshake because he just sneezed is labeled "polite"; another character snarking after shaking with a sneezed hand is "rude"; Dogbert lying and saying it's wet because he just washed it is labeled "playful".

Professional Wrestling

In Ring of Honor's early days, the Code of Honor included handshakes before and after the match, and some major feuds started with one wrestler refusing to shake another's hand.

Referenced in CM Punk's Wrestlerave promo about Raven: "I'd shake your hand like a normal man, but the truth is I don't respect you!"

Naruki Doi and Masato Yoshino continually refused post match handshakes with Dragon Kid in Dragon Gate USA and dedicated much of their time to mocking him over it.

Refusing a handshake is a common feature of a Face-Heel Turn, especially favoured in the tag team break up angle.

A guest-starring Machine Gun Kelly offered Kevin Owens a handshake. Owens attacked him and powerbombed him off the stage.

Theatre

At the beginning of Nouvelle Experience (a Cirque du Soleil show), The Everyman tries to offer a handshake to the strangers he's suddenly surrounded by. But he's in a Cloudcuckooland, and they are confused and even frightened by the gesture whenever he attempts it. A few acts later, having come to understand that he is friendly, one of them returns his handshake.

At the end of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, the U.S. President awards the Distinguished Service Cross to Naked Snake. He shakes LBJ's hand, but refuses to shake the DCI's hand, because the DCI had him kill his mentor to both prevent an international incident and recover a massive sum of money from the Big Bad.

Parodied in the Secret Theater skit, "Payback", where the DCI tracks down Naked Snake and bests him in a fight just to get that handshake.

In the Mass Effect 2 DLC, Stolen Memories, you can offer to shake the hand of mercenary group owner Donovan Hock. He will refuse, because he's an all-around asshole.

Happens a few times in Mass Effect 3. Lieutenant Tolan (a dead Kirrahe's jerkass stand-in) does this to Shepard on Sur'Kesh. In "From Ashes", Shepard offers Last of His Kind Javik a handshake during their first scene together, but he turns it down. In your last scene together before the final battle, he holds out his hand, and you can either take the Paragon Interrupt or turn him down. Then there's Dr Archer from 2's Overlord DLC...

Archer: Dr Gavin Archer. We...met...on Project Overlord.

Shepard: (not taking his hand) That's one way of putting it.

In Mega Man Zero 2, Elpizo introduces himself to Zero as the new commander of the resistance and offers his hand after announcing his plans to destroy Neo Arcadia. Zero refuses both the plans and the handshake.

In Epic Mickey, Oswald suggest that him and Mickey shake and start over. But Mickey holds back and confesses to causing the Thinner Disaster.

In L.A. Noire, during the first investigation with the Arson desk, a patrolman shows a reluctance to shake Cole's hand since Cole was recently involved in a scandal after having an affair with a nightclub singer. Cole's partner Herschel rebukes him, telling him 'Cole's name might be dogshit, but his hand isn't covered in it.

Haytham refuses to shake the hand of Louie Mills the first time they meet. No explanation is given, but it's impled to be a class issue; Haytham is a British aristocrat and Mills is a working class sailor, so Haytham probably regards a handshake as beneath him.

Connor is a more justified example; he was raised among native americans, who consider it taboo to touch someone you don't know, so he Hates Being Touched. He turns down an offer of a handshake with John Adams, though he does grow to accept a handshake as an acceptable greeting once he's spent some time living amongst the colonists.

You have the option of doing this in Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, making Commander Gore comment on the oddity and moving your karma meter slightly towards chaos (accepting it will move it to Law instead). Later, if you offer a handshake to resident Jerk Ass Jimenez, he will refuse, citing he prefers not to relate to anyone, feeling it ain't worth developing a friendship during a war if all the sap is gonna do is get himself killed. (Conversely, he will react more positively if you don't offer a handshake in the first place. Functions as a minor Establishing Character Moment for everyone in the room.)

Web Comics

Questionable Content: On being introduced to Dave, Steve refuses to shake his hand because immediately preceding the introduction, he heard Dave watching porn. Yeaaah.

Eugene declines to shake hands when sealing a deal with Lord Shojo in The Order of the Stick. It's not rudeness, however; as a ghost, he is incapable of holding anything corporeal.

A variant occurs in American Dad! episode "Tears Of A Clooney", after Stan befriends George Clooney, he later refuses to fistbump him because has to inform George he is "leaving" him to move back to his old home.

In the Regular Show episode "Family BBQ", Mordecai learns that Margaret's dad never shakes hands with any of her boyfriends, and becomes obsessed with getting that handshake, even taking part in a cannonball contest that, typical of the show, gets dangerously out of hand.

In the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic episode Wonderbolts Academy, Rainbow Dash is offered a hoof-bump from Lightning Dust, a fellow Wonderbolt cadet, in celebration of the "awesome" tornado they created that almost killed Rainbow's friends. Her response: "A hoof-bump? Seriously?"

In Road Rovers, Hunter offers a fist bump to a young boy, only to discover the boy is blind.

In Samurai Jack, Extor offers Jack a high-five, but since Jack is from Ancient Japan, he says he doesn't understand what he is doing and Extor slinks away. At the end of the episode, Jack finally returns his high-five.

Real Life

Specifically banned in fencing. Refusing to shake hands with your opponent after a bout can result in disqualification.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was famously at the wrong end of such a refusal at the Salon de l'Agriculture, but his reaction to it was even more (in)famous: he answered the offender "Casse-toi alors, pauvre con!" ("Get lost then, dumbass!"). Such a direct insult to a citizen was deemed unbecoming of the President, and veered into sheer hypocrisy when someone was later arrested for "insult to the president" for holding a sign with that very sentence during an anti-Sarkozy protest.

TV Tropes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. Privacy Policy